Salesforce is powerful—but it's easy to overengineer. This blog highlights five common areas where users make things harder than they need to, and offers simpler, smarter alternatives.

Salesforce can do almost anything. It’s a CRM, an app platform, an analytics engine, and even your email’s best friend. But with that power comes a dark side: overcomplication.

You’ve probably seen it—custom fields no one uses, flows that take a PhD to decipher, reports that require weekly therapy to interpret. Salesforce was built to bring clarity and automation, but in many orgs, it’s become the opposite: slow, confusing, and cluttered.

“The best systems aren’t the ones with the most features—they’re the ones with the most thoughtful use of them.” — Joel Espinosa, CRM Strategist

In this blog, we’ll show you five things you’re likely overcomplicating in Salesforce, and how to simplify them without losing functionality. Whether you’re an admin, consultant, or end user, this post will save you time, clicks, and cognitive bandwidth. We’ll also show you how Proso, a marketplace for Salesforce experts, can help you untangle that over-engineered mess and get back to business.

Core Content

1. Flows That Try to Do Everything

What’s going wrong:

• Flows with 60+ elements, subflows, and looping nightmares
• Overuse of flows for tasks better handled by formulas or triggers

Fix it:

• Break large flows into modular, testable subflows
• Use before-save flows for fast, simple updates
• Keep one objective per flow—no Swiss Army logic

2. Custom Fields for Every Request

What’s going wrong:

• “We might need it” logic leads to field overload
• User layouts turn into field graveyards

Fix it:

• Run field utilization reports regularly
• Group related fields into custom metadata or record types
• Use conditional visibility to show fields only when needed

3. Reports & Dashboards with Too Many Filters

What’s going wrong:

• Users can’t run reports without a decoder ring
• Dozens of filters, buckets, and joins for basic answers

Fix it:

• Focus on core KPIs—then layer in optional filters
• Use dashboards with embedded charts from focused reports
• Train users to clone and tweak instead of reinvent

4. Page Layouts That Try to Please Everyone

What’s going wrong:

• Everyone wants everything on the layout
• Result: slow pages and decision fatigue

Fix it:

• Create custom Lightning pages by role or profile
• Use dynamic forms to show fields based on context
• Keep “default” layouts minimal—layer in info as needed

5. Overuse of Validation Rules

What’s going wrong:

• Too many validations blocking simple edits
• Users can’t save a record without ten fixes

Fix it:

• Review which rules are frequently triggered and by whom
• Use soft validations (alerts, guidance) where possible
• Consolidate multiple rules with formulas and helper fields

Hard-Hitting Stats from Real Salesforce Audits

• 38% of flows in mid-size orgs contain logic better suited for Apex
• 65% of custom fields are unused after 90 days
• 72% of users say report filters are too complex to reuse
• 50% of support tickets relate to page layout confusion or validation blocks
• Organizations that decluttered layouts saw 30% higher user adoption

Explore cleanup strategies: Salesforce Optimizer Tool

Proso: Simplify Salesforce with Expert Help

Cleaning up Salesforce takes time—and expertise. That’s where Proso comes in. It’s a marketplace where you can connect with certified Salesforce professionals who’ve seen it all, cleaned it up, and made it better.

How Proso helps:

• Post your challenge (e.g., “Need help streamlining our opportunity flow and layout”)
• Match with vetted Salesforce experts for admin, development, or architecture
• Set timelines, budgets, and deliverables inside Proso—no endless RFPs

💡 Real story: A B2B SaaS firm had 15 different opportunity page layouts. Through Proso, they hired a Salesforce UX expert who reduced the number to 3 role-based layouts. Result? 27% faster record updates and 40% fewer support tickets.

Proso’s not just for big revamps. Need a flow cleanup? Validation rule audit? Field consolidation? It’s all there.

Simplify your Salesforce without hiring full-time—just go to Proso.ai and post your project.

Conclusion: Do More by Doing Less

Salesforce should empower your teams—not confuse or slow them down. Overcomplicating flows, layouts, fields, and reports may feel like progress, but in reality, it's creating drag. Simplification doesn’t mean cutting features—it means aligning features with real business needs.

Looking ahead, Salesforce is doubling down on AI, dynamic experiences, and low-code tools. But to benefit from these innovations, your org must be ready—with a clean, scalable setup.

Your next steps:

• Run the Salesforce Optimizer and Field Trip reports
• Audit your top 3 flows, layouts, and validation rules
• Survey users: “What’s hardest about Salesforce right now?”
• Visit Proso.ai and post a quick request for expert help

The smartest orgs aren’t the ones that use every feature—they’re the ones that use the right features, the right way.

We’ll update this blog with more tips, cleanup checklists, and customer success stories. Bookmark it, share it with your admin team, and let’s build a Salesforce org that’s lean, fast, and lovable.

“Clean systems make room for smart strategy.”

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